


Blistered Feet & Unveiled Hearts

by WinterMaidenMuse



Category: Fairy Tail
Genre: F/M, Fluff and Humor, Friendship/Love, Fun, Love Confessions, One Shot, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-19
Updated: 2020-09-19
Packaged: 2021-03-08 01:08:15
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,595
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26547280
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WinterMaidenMuse/pseuds/WinterMaidenMuse
Summary: It's that time of the year again - for the Grand Magic Ball! Fairy Tail heads to Crocus to celebrate the anniversary of the successful Eclipse battle after being invited by the King and Princess. Lucy decides to go all out, but her brand new pair of heels gives her bad blisters. Gray ends up helping her back to their hotel, and something happens along the way. One-shot, fluffy!
Relationships: Gray Fullbuster/Lucy Heartfilia
Comments: 6
Kudos: 59





	Blistered Feet & Unveiled Hearts

**Disclaimer: I do not own Fairy Tail or any of its characters.**

* * *

**Blistered Feet & Unveiled Hearts [One-Shot]**

It was already ten at night, but the lively celebration was still going strong even after five hours, with no signs of waning anytime soon. Guests were still twirling away happily on the dance floor, to the melodious sounds of the skilful orchestra floating through the air. Well-trained servers were all around, attentive to the guests' various needs and speedily replenishing the desserts and hors d'oeuvres, ensuring that everyone was sufficiently satisfied. Nobody seemed to want to leave. It was understandable – after all, this magnificent event was only held once a year, in Crocus, in the very palace where the King and Princess of Fiore stayed.

The inaugural Grand Magic Ball was first held the year after Fairy Tail and all the other guilds managed to defeat Future Rogue, destroy the Eclipse portal and save the world from impending doom. It was created to commemorate the day that all the magic guilds in Fiore managed to put aside their differences to work together in order to save humankind, and their country. Since then, it had been held annually, and it was the most looked-forward to event in the country. It was the only time when old friends from all around the country would put aside their schedules, travel long distances and go to great lengths just to reunite as friends. On another day, it was very likely that these mages would meet as potential enemies or rivals, but on this particular day, at this special event, everyone shared a common understanding and respect for one another. It was a very significant event indeed, and Lucy was one of the many mages who were waiting in much anticipation for the big day to roll around.

Besides the actual event, another reason for Lucy's excitement was the fact that it gave her a legitimate reason to splurge on new clothes and dress up! This year, she had managed to save up a reasonable amount of money from several lucrative jobs, so she had gone all out and gotten herself a new ballgown, new jewelry and even new shoes! However, as pleased as she had been with her gorgeous new purchases, she was beginning to think that the price of beauty really wasn't that worth it after all.

Lucy gave a wan smile to her dance partner as the lilting tune came to an end, and she curtsied elegantly in thanks before walking away towards the edge of the humongous ballroom. Or actually, it was more of a mix between hobbling and limping, than actual walking. She had been wearing her new pair of heels for the last five hours, and by the stars, were her feet truly killing her. Her new shoes were exquisite, a custom-made pair of glitter stilettos with an ombre colouring that started out silver and faded into navy. It complimented her navy evening dress splendidly, which had lovely silver threading around the bodice that resembled constellations amidst an endless dark sky. With her golden hair done up in a loose braid that cascaded down her back, and providing a stark contrast against her gown, Lucy was a sight to behold, if not for her strange wobbly gait.

She sighed as she finally reached a cocktail table, and placing her arms against the table to take some weight off her feet, she tried to ignore the throbbing ache in the soles of her feet and the acute pain at the back of her ankles. As with all new shoes, the leather material was not yet broken in, and the constant friction throughout the night from dancing and mingling with people had caused large, painful blisters to appear. Judging by the sharp pain now, it seemed like a blister might have burst. Lucy really wanted to just take off her shoes and walk around barefooted, even if it meant embarrassing herself, as long as it would stop the pain!

She looked around the room in search of her friends, but the ballroom was just too big. She spent ten minutes scrutinising from face to face, and was almost about to give up when she finally caught sight of a navy head and a light grey blazer. Finally!

Lucy waited till Gray twirled his dance partner around and was facing her direction, before she gave him a little wave, catching his eye. She beamed brightly at him, and seeing her face light up, Gray gave a small smile in return. She watched as he leaned forward to say something to his dance partner, before giving a slight bow. They parted ways, and he walked in her direction.

Lucy couldn't help but stare appreciatively at Gray. He was well-built, with a muscular but lean physique. His broad shoulders filled out his light grey blazer perfectly, which contrasted sharply with the black turtleneck he wore underneath. With his head of tousled navy hair, and deep navy eyes, he looked very striking (and undeniably sexy). Even though Gray was more often undressed than dressed, nobody could deny that clothes did look good on him.

He reached her table, and gave her a broader smile. "Hey Lucy, what's up? Why are you here alone?" He copied her pose and put his arms on the cocktail table as well.

"Sorry, did I interrupt? I've been dancing for hours, and my feet are positively killing me right now," she sighed. "This event is really fun but honestly, I'm super tired and I kind of just want to call it a night," she admitted.

To her surprise, Gray nodded in agreement. "Don't worry, I'm just about done. Me too, I think I've made enough small talk for a year! This whole socialising thing isn't really my thing," he said sheepishly.

Lucy grinned at him in understanding. Gray had never been much of a social butterfly, always preferring to hang around familiar people and chilling in the background. "Besides, I'm not sure if I can even walk anymore in these shoes. I think I've burst a blister," Lucy lamented in pain. "You know what, I think I'm gonna head off. My feet really hurt. Are you staying? If yes, could you let Natsu and Erza know?" she asked.

Gray thought for a moment, before looking down at her poor, blistered feet in pity. "I think I'll leave too. I don't feel as bad about leaving since we have that casual dinner tomorrow with the other guilds. I'll let the other two know, and I'll walk with you back to the hotel?" he asked, out of politeness.

Gray was ever the gentleman. They all stayed in the same hotel in Crocus, so of course it would make sense for them to walk back together. Still, Lucy appreciated his thought. "Of course! I'll wait here," she said.

He nodded, going off in search of the redhead and the dragon slayer. Despite the throngs of well-dressed guests, he was back in less than ten minutes.

"That was fast," Lucy commented.

Gray shrugged. "It was simple – dessert table, and buffet spread." His sentence was self-explanatory. Lucy laughed at his pragmatic reply. "Can you walk?"

"Umm… slowly, yes. I'll have to take these shoes off once we're outside the hall."

Gray offered his arm to Lucy with a sideways glance and a small smile, asking, "Shall we then, princess?"

Lucy linked her arm through his, before scrunching up her nose at him. "You hang out too much with Loke."

* * *

It was dark, but the vast expanse of sky was dotted with millions of glowing stars. The moon itself was shining in its full glory, a large circle against an infinite field of glittering orbs. Lucy took a deep breath of the fresh night air as she stepped out from the palace, welcoming the cool breeze that played with loose strands of her golden hair. She looked up at the starry canvas overhead, and let out a small sigh as a sense of nostalgia swept over her.

Gray stood beside her, their arms still linked. He looked up as well, commenting, "The night sky sure is beautiful."

Lucy hummed in agreement. "When I was younger, my mother would sometimes steal me away in the middle of the night to look at stars, especially when there was a special constellation," she said softly. "We would go into the garden, lie on the grass and she would point out the different stars and planets to me. Look! There's Sirius, the brightest star in the sky." She raised a slender arm to point at the sparkling star.

Gray's eyes followed her finger, seeking out the bright dot. He had always liked looking at stars – while childish, he chose to believe that each of his loved ones was a beautiful, everlasting star, who was up there looking down upon him. After meeting Lucy, and getting to know her celestial spirits, he had a newfound appreciation for astronomy, and he enjoyed it when she would show him the different constellations and share stories of how they came about.

He admired Lucy a lot – for someone who was raised almost like a princess, she had no airs about her. She was smart, independent, and incredibly kind. Her compassion knew no bounds, and he couldn't understand how a person could be so selfless. Although she didn't possess offensive magic capabilities, he respected that she always fought alongside her comrades and spirits, instead of expecting others to fight for her. She was definitely magically strong, being able to summon multiple spirits one after another, but most importantly – Lucy herself was the brightest star in the group with an undeniable gravitational pull that kept the group together. Her bright smile, contagious laughter and infectious optimism never failed to keep the group going, even in the toughest of times. She herself may not know it, but the group knew that she was irreplaceable.

A shiver from Lucy caught Gray's attention. He let go of her arm, before shrugging out of his blazer jacket, and putting it over her shoulders. She smiled gratefully up at him. "Sorry, I got distracted. Shall we head back?" she asked.

"Yes, let's go." He took a step forward. However, Lucy winced as she tried to follow Gray. He looked down at her feet, and saw that her left ankle had hints of red. "Lucy, you're bleeding!"

Lucy looked down, and realised that a big blister had burst on her left heel and it was now bleeding. No wonder it hurt so much! "Oh no, it's my blister. I've got to take these shoes off now, I can't walk back like this," she muttered. "Hey Gray, lend me your shoulder." She reached an arm out to hold his sturdy shoulder for support, while taking her shoes off one by one. He held onto her elbow tightly, in case she lost her balance.

Now barefoot, Lucy was a whole head shorter than Gray, and the top of her head came up to his chin. She released her hold, and bent down to pick up her shoes in her right hand. She turned to him, and said, "Okay, now I'm ready! Let's go!"

She took several steps forward, past Gray, before he grabbed her arm gently. "Don't be silly, you can't walk barefooted back to the hotel. It's all gravel and rough roads, you're going to hurt your feet like that."

"Oh… but I don't have a choice. I can't walk back in these shoes, and there aren't any more carriages at this time of night."

He looked at her for a moment, before suggesting, "I could carry you."

Lucy's eyes widened. She was surprised at his sweet offer. If it was Natsu who had offered, she wouldn't have thought twice about taking it up, but now that it was Gray, she was slightly unsure. While they've been in the same group for a few years now, she had never really found herself alone with Gray before – there was always someone else around, be it Natsu, Erza, Happy or even Juvia on her stalker mode. Now though, was quite literally the first time they were alone together, and she blushed as she imagined Gray carrying her in such close proximity for a prolonged time. Well… not that she minded though… she had always found him attractive. She couldn't deny that every time he saved her life or grabbed her from the face of danger, her heart would skip a beat and her breath would catch in her throat.

"Oh… but I ate quite a lot at dinner, and it's quite a far walk," she protested weakly. "I don't want to trouble you, Gray."

He seemed to ignore her response as he moved to stand in front of her. He lifted the blazer from her shoulders, holding it up. "Lucy, put this on properly first. Otherwise it'll fall off." She looked up at him with wide eyes, following his instructions and slipping her arms into the jacket. It was way too big for her small build, but the minute Gray let go of the blazer, it enveloped her with its comforting warmth and Gray's familiar smell. It was a mix of his cologne and his usual fresh winter smell, and she breathed it in discreetly.

Turning his back towards her, he bent his knees to lower himself for Lucy. "Here, you can get on my back. Can you get on with your dress?" He angled his head back slightly, trying to look at her.

Lucy's heart was beating fast. She gulped silently and came forward, putting her hands on his shoulders lightly. "Uh… yes, I can. Hang on, let me adjust my dress first." While form fitting, her dress had a thigh-high slit on the right, so she simply pulled the cloth aside, freeing her legs. "Alright, you sure about this Gray?" she asked once more.

Gray let out a chuckle. "Just get on Lucy, if not we'll be here all night."

She laughed softly in return, before gently hoisting herself up onto Gray's back. His warm hands came around to grab hold of her thighs, and she wrapped her arms around his neck, pressing her chest against him. Her shoes dangled off one hand. Gray could feel her breath on his neck, and with this closeness, the smell of Lucy's perfume wafted into his nose. It was a light floral scent, tinged with hints of lavender and sage. Suddenly, it seemed like his heartbeat increased in volume, because he could clearly hear it beating in his ears.

"Ready, Lucy?" he asked. He felt her breath shift on his neck as she nodded.

"Mm-hmm!"

Holding tightly onto the belle of the group, he stepped forward into the night.

* * *

The two mages walked in companionable silence. Lucy's arms hung loosely around Gray's neck, but her chest was pressed close against him, her cheek set comfortably in the space between Gray's shoulder and neck. His firm grip around her thighs kept her safe and secure, and his moderate pace was slow enough to prevent too much jostling. Both Lucy and Gray were lost in their own thoughts, simply enjoying this rare moment of intimacy between them.

In the quietness, save for the occasional sounds of the leaves rustling in the wind, a nightingale began to sing. Remembering a tune her mother used to sing to her when she was a child, Lucy began to hum softly. Gray's steps slowed as he listened to the dulcet tones of her voice. Though she was soft, the lilting tune drifted around them with ease, with no other sounds to compete for attention.

As the song came to an end, Gray felt slightly sad that it was over. It brought back memories of his own childhood, when Ur would sometimes sing to him at night when he was having difficulties falling asleep. His male pride refused to allow him to admit that he liked being sung to, but now that he was much older, he did miss it. He missed those days of living, training and sharing life with Ur. When things were much simpler, and he had a parent figure to rely on.

Not that he regretted anything that happened after that though – in fact, Fairy Tail is easily the best thing that happened to him in his life. If he hadn't joined Fairy Tail, he wouldn't have met his current family and his best friends – Natsu, Happy, Erza, and this amazing celestial mage, Lucy.

He was shaken from his contemplation when he felt the weight of Lucy's head lift from his shoulder. His head turned towards her out of reflex, and he stopped walking, curious as to what she was doing.

"Hey Gray, look – there's a lake up front!" she pointed out. He looked ahead, and sure enough, there was a wooden signage with an arrow, indicating the presence of a lake not too far ahead.

"Moon Lake," Gray read from the sign. "Oh, isn't this one of the main attractions here in Crocus? I didn't expect it to be so near to the palace."

"Yeah! It's on my list of places to visit on this trip actually, since we don't usually do much sightseeing. I forgot that it's just down the road from the palace! It's so near," Lucy replied. An idea suddenly occurred to her. "Gray, are you in a rush to get back to the hotel?"

Gray shook his head. "Nope, I don't have plans tonight besides a hot shower so I can take off all these clothes."

"What do you say we make a detour and check out the lake? We don't often get to sightsee at night," she excitedly suggested. "Also, the full moon is beautiful tonight, I'm sure it'll make the Moon Lake even more amazing! Wanna go?"

That certainly sounded interesting, and it was technically still early – it was only half past ten. "Sure, but how about your feet? Don't they hurt?"

"Don't worry about me! I'm fine now that I've taken my shoes off, and had some time to rest thanks to your piggyback ride," she smiled.

"Alright – let's go on a night tour then!"

He started walking again, this time in the direction of the signage. While Gray did the literal legwork, Lucy kept the atmosphere light and cheery with her chatter about the attraction. She had done quite a bit of research prior to their visit this year, making a list of all the interesting tourist attractions they could visit, and also reading up on their background. Moon Lake was actually a caldera lake, formed hundreds of thousands of years ago when a volcano had collapsed upon itself. Since then, rainwater had collected in the sunken ground, and over the years, accumulated to form the massive lake that it now was. It was famous for its perfectly round shape and still waters, which resembled a full moon when moonlight shone upon its surface, which gave rise to its name.

After another fifteen minutes of walking, they finally reached their destination. Gray lowered himself slightly before loosening his grip on Lucy, allowing her to slip off his back and land gently on her bare feet.

"Wow," she breathed. "The lake is beautiful."

Gray agreed wordlessly. The picture that presented itself before them was magnificent. The pair were standing on a wooden path that cut across tall grasses surrounding the perimeter of the lake. The path led to a small wooden pier that stretched out slightly over the waters, coming to an end about five meters out. The full moon shone bright in the night sky, its light illuminating the scene – turning the dark, mysterious waters into a giant mirror reflecting the brilliance of the celestial body itself. As they stood there, mesmerised by the ethereal beauty of the natural wonder, a gentle breeze blew, making the grasses sway in a welcoming dance.

Out of the blue, Gray felt slender fingers grabbing his hand. He looked down at the girl in surprise, as Lucy smiled at him. His heart skipped a beat. Too shocked to even close his own fingers around hers, he let himself be dragged towards the pier, until they reached the middle of the wooden platform. Lucy let go of his hand, and twirled around in happiness. Her blonde hair seemed to shimmer under the moonlight, and if anyone else had seen her that night, they would have thought they saw a true celestial maiden on Earth.

"This is great, Gray! Thank you so much for agreeing to come here with me," she said.

"Don't thank me, I should thank _you_ instead. If not for your great idea, I would never have been able to see this beautiful view. It's amazing. So thank you, Lucy," he chuckled.

She laughed, her voice tinkling in the air. "You know what, since we're here, let's just stay a while longer. I feel like _this_ ," she gestured around them, "is too amazing for a five-minute visit. Let's get comfortable and hang out here for a bit. And, I'm going to call out Lyra!" she declared, pulling out the silver key belonging to the young musical spirit. "Gate of the Lyre, I open thee! Lyra!" Bright yellow light surrounded Lucy for a few seconds before a lyrical voice sounded, announcing the presence of the spirit and her harp.

"Lucy! You've finally summoned me!" Lyra greeted Lucy in a sing-song voice.

"Mm-hmm, it's good to see you too, Lyra! Do you think you could play some soothing songs for this lovely night?" Lucy requested sweetly.

"Of course! I'd love to." The spirit made herself comfortable behind the pair, and soon, the beginning strains of a calming melody filled the night.

Lucy was about to take a seat on the wooden flooring when a thought occurred to her. "Hey Gray, just now in the ballroom, you looked like you were pretty comfortable dancing. I didn't know you could dance so well," she commented casually, looking over at him.

Gray shoved his hands into his pockets, embarrassed at being called out for something that completely contradicted his cool image. He didn't meet her eyes, opting to look out at the calm water instead, answering awkwardly, "I… uh, I'm not that great. I had to learn some steps for a solo mission." It wasn't technically a lie, he had actually signed up for private classes secretly a month before the Grand Magic Ball, because he didn't want to make a fool of himself like that flame-brain, Natsu, always did. Especially not in front of other guilds, and definitely not in front of Lucy, who was a great dancer, having grown up as a Lady of the Heartfilia home.

Lucy smirked at his discomfort. Setting her expensive shoes aside, she bounced over to him, and looked up at him expectantly.

Gray tried hard to ignore the blonde standing right in front of him, but after a few moments, he couldn't ignore her any longer. "What?" he asked irritably, sneaking a quick glance down at her sparkling brown eyes.

She grinned widely, grabbing his hand and pulling him to face her. "Let's dance, Gray!"

"Wh-what?! No!" he protested in shock, but the celestial mage was adamant, refusing to let go of his arm.

"Come on!" Lucy took Gray's right hand and placed it around her waist. She intertwined his other hand with her right, before placing her left hand on his shoulder. "Ooh, I love this song! You ready?" she peered at him, trying to read his poker face.

Gray gulped. He was hoping extremely hard that he wouldn't trip over himself or step on Lucy's bare feet – those classes had better pay off right now, if not he'd most definitely go back and file a complaint, and ask for a refund!

He nodded nervously, and she took the lead, taking a step back, and pulling him along with her gently. Gray followed, his muscle memory kicking in, remembering the hours he had put in over the last month with the dance trainer.

Under the moonlight, Gray and Lucy swayed in tandem to the enchanting sounds of the harp being worked by Lyra's talented fingers. Falling into a comfortable rhythm, Lucy drew closer to Gray, resting her head against his shoulder. In turn, Gray's arm slid around Lucy's waist, holding her in a secure embrace, his chin resting softly on the crown of her hair.

Lucy smiled to herself as she sighed, enjoying the feeling of being held by Gray. He had an uncanny ability for making her feel safe, no matter the circumstances – whether they were facing a life-and-death situation, or dancing on a wooden pier in the middle of the night. She blushed slightly as she realised how romantic this scene was, yet she liked it a lot, if she could say so herself. In fact, it was almost like a romantic scene right out of her novel.

Lyra's fingers strummed effortlessly, seeing as how this was her main job as a music spirit. She looked upon her master, Lucy, with happiness, as she watched the couple dance languidly. With the light being cast upon them, they looked like they were glowing. Lyra bit her lip in excitement, hoping that she would be able to find love like that in the future for herself.

Out of the blue, Lucy exclaimed softly as Gray took a misstep, accidentally stepping on her little toe. "Ouch!"

He pulled back from her, looking down in worry. "Oh! I'm sorry, my bad," he apologised sheepishly.

She giggled and let go of his hand. He took that as a cue to unwrap his arm from her waist, but not without feeling a tinge of disappointment. "It's alright, I forgive you. I can't hold it against a beginner after all," she teased.

"Oi," he responded gruffly, but his tone was much gentler than when he spoke to Natsu or anyone else that dared to poke fun at him.

Returning her attention to the lake view, Lucy decided to make herself comfortable, and tried as best as she could to sit down on the wooden floor chastely, without the thigh-high slit of her dress exposing too much. While she was still adjusting her clothes, Gray sat down beside her, leaning back on his hands. He stretched his legs out casually, with his thigh touching hers, making her blush slightly at the contact. Gray however, didn't seem to notice, as he let out a soft sigh.

"Why are you sighing?" Lucy asked.

He looked over at her with a thoughtful expression on his face. "I'm just thinking about how it took me twenty years before I'm finally spending a night out alone with a girl, for the first time," he answered cheekily, his navy eyes sparkling with mischief. He broke into a grin as Lucy's cheeks turned red. Even though it was late, the moonlight was more than enough to illuminate their entire setting, allowing them to see each other's expressions clearly.

"Don't be silly, Gray. I'm sure this isn't your first time. How about with Juvia?"

He huffed a little, to Lucy's amusement. "There's nothing between us. Why would I spend a night out alone with her?" He ran an annoyed hand through his hair, ruffling it.

Lucy giggled at his obvious irritation. "Because she's head over heels for you. Many people can only wish for someone as devoted as she is to you! Honestly though, what do you feel about her?" she asked, sincerely wondering about his thoughts. Gray and Juvia always had some sort of bickering relationship type of thing, and while Juvia was very open about her feelings for Gray, nobody really knew how he felt.

"Juvia…" he paused, trying to think of the right words. "Juvia is a very loyal and dependable friend. She's kind, sweet, passionate… _overly_ passionate," he coughed slightly as he corrected himself. "She'll make a great partner for sure, but for someone else, not me. I just don't see her that way, I can't picture myself with her." His brows were furrowed, his face showing a perplexed expression now. Gray seemed genuinely troubled that he couldn't return her feelings.

Lucy felt an odd sense of relief. When she posed her question to Gray, she did want to find out in general what Gray's stance was, but deep in her heart, she also knew she wanted to find out for her own sake. She had always had a secret thing for Gray, although she never told anyone, not even Levy. He was handsome, protective, strong, and they got along great – what's there to not like? Well, except for the fact that Juvia would probably try to drown her if she ever expressed her feelings.

"How about you?" Gray's smooth baritone pulled her out of her thoughts.

"Hmm? What about me?"

"What do you feel about Natsu?"

Lucy let out a loud laugh. "Natsu?! Why are you asking me about him?"

Gray shrugged, letting out a small smile. "Well, you're always with him. You guys hang out so much, and often go on missions together, everyone's just wondering when you both will get together."

"That's never going to happen!" she exclaimed. "Natsu is my best friend. I love him, I truly do, with all my heart, but only as a best friend, as… my twin," she declared. "He gets me, we have plenty of fun together, and he's always there for me, but I don't think we'll ever like each other in that manner. We're just two peas in a pod, you know?"

Gray nodded. "Yeah, I get you. Sometimes when you're such good friends with someone, you both move past the possibility of dating because you know each other so well."

"Exactly! So me and Natsu? Not happening even if you freeze hell over," Lucy stuck her tongue out at Gray playfully. "Okay, so if not Juvia, then who? If you can't picture yourself with her, you've gotta have someone else in mind, right?"

A certain blonde beauty flashed through his head. "N-no," he stated.

"You hesitated! But alright, if not someone, then tell me – what's your ideal type of girl?" she modified her question, deciding to cut Gray some slack.

He was silent for a moment. Lucy was almost worried that she had crossed the line and annoyed him, but he suddenly spoke. "If I tell you, you'd have to tell me your ideal guy too, and then play a game with me."

"Huh?" she asked, confused at his unexpected conditions. "A game?"

"Yes. But that's for later, if you agree."

"Um… sure, I guess. As long as you remember I'm barefooted and wearing a gown still!"

Gray adjusted his sitting position, his butt starting to hurt from sitting on the wooden platform. He decided to just lie flat on his back, crossing his arms underneath his head as cushioning. His legs stretched straight out, replacing the point of contact with Lucy's thigh with cool air instead. She found that she missed his warmth almost immediately.

"Well," he began. "My ideal partner would be someone that's independent, and strong. Not necessarily physically strong, but strong enough to fight for what she believes in, even if it's something completely different from what everyone else thinks. Someone who loves hard, and protects hard, like how we do in Fairy Tail. I want someone who will be there for me in both the good and bad times, who supports me but yet isn't afraid to call me out when I'm being an idiot – so definitely not just a sappy follower, if you know what I mean. Someone that I can be my stupid self around, but also with whom I can have thoughtful conversations. My ideal girl would be someone who makes me want to become a better person, just so I can be better for her – who pushes me but yet journeys alongside me," he finished.

Lucy was not expecting such a detailed answer. Truth be told, she thought Gray would give her a one- or two-worded answer, such as "cute" or "strong fighter". With everything that Gray just said, it almost seemed as though he was describing someone. Well, one thing she knew for sure at least, was that the 'sappy follower' point was a reference to a particular girl in the guild…

She turned to look at him, only to find him looking at her expectantly, with an intense gaze. She couldn't help the blush that spread across her cheeks, unsure of why he was staring at her so intently. Turning to look at her hands in her lap, she decided to also make herself more comfortable. At this point in time, they had already forgotten about Lyra's presence, her soothing tunes playing softly in the background.

Lucy unfolded her legs from her previous sitting position, and made to lie on her back as well. However, as she slowly lowered herself, instead of the hard wooden floor she was expecting, her back made contact with a warm arm. She started in slight surprise, but Gray was quick to reassure.

"Here, you'll be more comfortable. You're not dressed to lie around on the floor," he explained.

"Ah… thank you," she murmured. She hesitantly lowered herself the rest of the way, until her head was resting comfortably against Gray's upper arm. Without speaking, he wrapped his outstretched arm around her shoulder, pulling her in.

' _Oh, what's happening to me?!'_ Lucy's heart was literally leaping out of her chest, and she was sure she was going to get a heart attack from how fast her heart was beating. Gray was so warm, so strong, and so safe – she felt so right in his arms.

"I'm still waiting, you know," he murmured.

"Y-yes," she stammered. Mentally slapping herself to regain her composure, she continued. "I guess my ideal type would be someone who respects me. I know I'm not the strongest fighter, but I don't want someone who sees me as a damsel in distress all the time. I don't need someone to save me, I want someone who will fight alongside me and push me to be stronger. It'd be nice if it's someone who will be interested in my hobbies too, like my writing or cooking. Like you, I want someone who I can journey alongside, in a partnership in life. Someone who understands me, listens to me, and who I can trust wholeheartedly."

"You sound like you're describing someone," Gray commented.

Lucy turned her head, intending to roll her eyes at him, but she suddenly realised how close they were. With his arm wrapped around her, she was lying on his shoulder – and she was directly breathing in his alluring scent. She could see his Adam's apple bobbing slightly as he cleared his throat.

"I could say the same for you," she responded softly.

"…I was."

They laid there in silence for what seemed like a very long while, even though it was probably only minutes, at his admission. They were both so preoccupied with their racing thoughts that they didn't even realise that Lyra had quietly returned to the Spirit World, to give them their privacy.

Even though Gray didn't directly state who he was describing, she had a feeling that he was indirectly referring to her. And… at the same time, what he commented wasn't wrong either. She was describing someone too – someone who had always been by her side, fighting alongside her, and whom she had always thought would be a perfect partner, except that she had assumed his heart was elsewhere. Tonight though, changed everything.

"I… I thought you said you wanted to play a game?" Lucy tried to change the topic, because she wasn't sure if she was thinking clearly. She was too nervous – what if she was thinking too much and being too presumptuous? What if he wasn't even remotely thinking about her, and was talking about someone else entirely? Perhaps Ultear? Or someone else that she didn't even know? She didn't want to jump to conclusions just in case she was thinking too highly of herself.

Gray was mildly disappointed that she steered the conversation away from a topic that he wanted to continue, but he also felt relieved that he didn't have to end up confessing there and then. He couldn't deny it – she was his ideal girl all along. He decided to just go with the flow. "Yeah, I do. Let's play a game… of compliments."

"What?" Lucy was baffled. How do you even play a game with compliments? Her face reflected her confusion as Gray turned to give her an amused grin. She tried her hardest not to show her nervousness at being so close to him. She hoped he wouldn't be able to hear how loud and fast her heart was beating.

"I'll start by saying something nice about you, and then you return the favour and say something nice about me," he explained. He didn't miss how close their faces were, and how tempting Lucy's lips looked.

"WHAT?!" she burst out laughing in disbelief. "What kind of game is this, Gray? Are you just trying to fish for compliments? Why do you want to play this game – is this even a game?"

Gray looked slightly offended at Lucy's loud laughter. Was his game that amusing? "What's wrong? We spend so much time together on missions, I just think we don't show one another enough appreciation, that's all." Lucy felt bad when she heard a hint of embarrassment in his tone, as he defended himself. Well, he did have a point there. She can't remember the last time Happy or Natsu gave her a compliment – but she definitely needed both hands to count the number of times they made a snide remark about her weight.

"Ah… it's a good idea. Just unexpected, that's all! I'm sorry Gray, I didn't mean to laugh. I think it's a great game, let's do it!" she smiled up at him, meeting his eyes as he glanced down. His cheeks turned pink, and he quickly turned his head back towards the night sky. "How about I go first?"

"Y-yeah, sure."

Lucy shifted her head slightly on his arm. "I think… you're very gentlemanly." As she said her compliment, thoughts of how he had given her his blazer jacket, how he offered to carry her all the way back to the hotel, and how he automatically put his arm out for her comfort, flashed through her mind. She felt a stronger appreciation for having such a friend, and teammate, in her life. And she particularly appreciated the warmth that he was currently exuding.

The blush on his cheeks stayed. The main reason why he wanted to play this 'game' was because he wanted to change Lucy's perception of how she wasn't a strong mage, but receiving compliments wasn't his strongest suit. He had no clue how to react to something like that. He was more used to getting riled up and beating someone else up for insulting him, cough, like Natsu.

"Uh… t-thanks," he stuttered out. Lucy giggled, knowing how awkward he must be feeling.

"It's your turn to say something nice about me, dummy," she joked.

A hint of a smile graced his lips as he stared out at the endless canvas above. "You're much stronger than you think you are."

Lucy was touched that Gray said such a sweet thing. She knew he was reassuring her of her own ability in his own way, and it meant so much to her. "You are very loyal, and very strong, but it's amazing how you get even stronger when you're fighting for people you care about," she said softly.

"You're the kindest, most compassionate and most loving person I've ever met. I don't think anyone else can love the celestial spirits as much as you do. And they love you back just as much."

"You always put on a cold and fierce front on the outside, but you're actually very thoughtful and contemplative on the inside. I like the deep conversations we have, and how you always give me good advice."

"You kick up a big fuss every time we break into your house, but you always end up making us meals, letting us sleep over and make ourselves comfortable in your place," Gray chuckled to himself, thinking about the countless times that has happened courtesy of their team. "I like how you're such a generous person, and always put others before yourself."

Lucy couldn't help but chuckle along. "Well, I don't have much choice, do I? You guys never listen to me anyway when I tell you to get out! Hmm… I like how you don't laugh at my hobbies. You didn't make fun of me when you read my writing, and I like that you actually took an interest in it."

"I like how you're always there for me, especially when I'm at my weakest and lowest moments. Even though nobody else notices, you always do. And you're always there to support me."

"I could say the same for you Gray. I like how you're also always there for me, to catch me when I fall, to protect me when I need it most, and how you always put yourself in front of me. I like how I just know I can trust you, and that you'll never fail me."

The game of compliments had somehow turned into an exchange of things they liked about each other, but it just felt so natural. It made sense that the aspects they found good about each other were obviously the traits they liked, too.

Lost in the ambience, Gray focused on Sirius, the brightest star in the sky. "I like… how genuine you are, which makes you so easy to love. You're like Sirius, the brightest star in Fairy Tail, impossible to miss. Just by being yourself, you're captivating. I like how you don't put up a pretense, and yet people are drawn to you. Like you have an invisible gravitational pull… that I couldn't escape."

Lucy stilled when she heard Gray's words. _'I have a gravitational pull… that he couldn't escape? Does that mean… what I think it means?'_

In her silence, Gray continued. "Earlier on, I was describing you, Lucy. I know we're teammates, great friends, and I might be risking our friendship by doing this. But I just wanted to tell you that you're an amazing person." He turned his head to look at her, meeting her wide brown orbs with his deep navy ones. "There are so many things I like about you, that it'll take me all night to list them all. And each time we go on a mission, I find out something new about you that I can't help but like too.

When you asked me the question about my ideal girl, I started off describing traits that I honestly wanted in my future partner, but then I soon realised that the things I was listing were actually the things I liked about you. I… I like you, Lucy. I have, for a long time. But I didn't want to get in the way of you and Natsu, so I've never mentioned it. I'm not asking for you to like me back, but I just wanted you to know that you're a perfect girl to me, and you're amazing, and you shouldn't think you're anything less." Gray finished with an unsure smile. His uncertainty and nervousness were apparent in his eyes.

Lucy was at a loss for words. She could hear the sincerity laden in every word, and she knew that Gray meant everything he just said. She had spent so much of her life trying to live up to people's expectations, and despite having found acceptance and belonging in Fairy Tail, she always found herself wishing she was stronger. While proud of her celestial spirits, and loving them wholeheartedly, her letters to her late mother often contained confessions of how weak she felt compared to her fellow mages. Being in a team with Natsu, Erza, Gray and Wendy didn't help her self-esteem either, with her feeling like she was always hidden in their shadows, and being a burden when they had to rescue her.

But here – here was Gray, unveiling his heart to her, making himself vulnerable for her sake, just to provide her with reassurance and encouragement. Here was a man who was giving so much to her and yet not asking for anything in return.

Tears welled up in her brown eyes, taking Gray by surprise. He hadn't expected this reaction from Lucy – he thought she'd either freak out and give him a loud slap, or try and pass it off as a joke. Before he could say anything, she leaned over to take his face in her hands, and kissed him.

He froze in shock, his eyes wide and lips unmoving. _'Wh-what's happening? Is Lucy… kissing me?!'_

After a few seconds, Lucy pulled away, with Gray still frozen. A tear had fallen from one eye, leaving a wet streak in its wake, which glistened on her cheek. "Did you also wait twenty years for your first kiss, Gray?" she teased, a sweet smile gracing her lips.

Her words dragged him out of his stupor. He lifted the arm that she was previously lying on, bringing a thumb to her face, gently wiping away the tear. "Twenty years for a kiss with you, yes," he whispered. He leaned up, and captured her lips with his.

They kissed deeply, pouring all their caged emotions into this fervent dance of mouths. Lucy wanted to express all her gratitude, and all her love for him – as a teammate, as a friend, and as someone more than a friend. Gray could feel her total surrender, and he wanted to show her that she could trust him with all of her. He would be always be her planet, revolving around her – the only star in his galaxy. He would always belong within her gravitational pull.

Finally, he pulled away, leaving them both breathing deeply from their passionate kiss, and a lack of air. "Lucy…" he sighed in bliss.

She gazed deeply into his eyes, her cheeks flushed. She smiled at him tenderly, before saying, "Gray, thank you. You didn't need to do this for me, but you did. It means so much to me… and this is why I like you."

His heart swelled with uncontained happiness as he heard the words he never thought he'd ever hear in this lifetime. Lucy liked him back! His face broke into a wide grin, and his eyes lit up with pure elation. This must be a dream, right?

"Is this a joke?" he had to ask, in case he had fallen asleep accidentally and this was purely his imagination.

She laughed charmingly, shaking her head. "No, it's not. I think we're the perfect two." With that, she gave him yet another soft kiss on his lips, blushing while doing so.

He wrapped both arms tightly around Lucy, pulling her into his chest, making her let out a yelp at the sudden movement. He put his nose to her hair, breathing in her scent deeply. Oh, how he loved her sweet smell. That was one reason why he couldn't stop breaking into her house, if only to get a whiff of her comforting smell.

"You know, I heard that a full moon holds special magic," Gray murmured.

Lucy hummed into his chest. "Really?" she asked, her voice muffled.

"Mm. Legend has it that if you behaved yourself well, the full moon would give you what you want."

"Eh? I'm pretty sure that's Santa, Gray."

He laughed. "Alright, I'm sorry. You caught me."

Lucy lifted her head to roll her eyes at his childish antics. "Oh yeah Gray, I have a question."

"What is it?"

"So are you going to continue your dance lessons?"

Gray choked on his saliva, his face turning a bright red instantly. "D-dance lessons? What are you talking about?" He tried his hardest to feign ignorance. How in the world did she find out about his private dance classes? They were supposed to be a secret, damn it! He didn't tell a single soul!

"Oh stop it, I know you've been taking secret dance lessons for the last month. Your dance trainer happens to be my instructor from last time. She told me," she stated. He groaned in embarrassment. He was _definitely_ going to file a complaint and ask for a refund. _Definitely._

Just then, she leaned in closer. He stilled, wondering if she was going to plant another surprise kiss on him. Instead, she whispered, "I think you look very sexy when you dance. It's kinda hot."

Okay, guess he wasn't going to ask for a refund. Time to sign up for Level 2.

**\- End -**

* * *

**Bonus - Epilogue**

"Let's have a little competition – to see how many constellations we can name."

"What?" asked Lucy, in confusion – why were all of Gray's games so odd? And why would Gray want to compete with her on this? There's no way he would win, she literally spent her whole life learning about the stars, and she's a celestial spirit mage, for goodness' sake! It was a losing game for him, for sure.

He turned to look at her, hearing her incredulous tone. "I'm serious. Let's compete to see how many stars we can name. But," he paused, "we're not going to be identifying constellations from the sky. It's going to be a name game. I'll start with a constellation name, and you have to name another one that begins with the last alphabet of the one before."

"Oh… so like, if you say Libra, I'll have to say… Aries? Because Libra ends with 'A'?" she asked, starting to understand the game.

He smiled at her. "That's right. Okay, I'll start, since it's my game. Leo," he named the Lion, the leader of the zodiac and his good friend.

"Ophiuchus," Lucy countered quickly, without missing a beat.

"Sagittarius."

"Scorpio!"

"Orion," Gray named a famous constellation outside of her zodiac keys, the mythological Greek hunter.

"Hmm… Norma, the only one of the eighty-eight constellations that starts with a 'N'," she stated triumphantly.

He raised an eyebrow at her confidence. "Alright, Aquarius." At the mention of the intimidating mermaid celestial spirit, Lucy let out an involuntary shiver.

"Dang, I gave you an easy one! 'S'… 'S' should be easy…" she muttered to herself, wracking her brain for just one more constellation that began with the alphabet. "Oh no… 'S'… 'S'… Scorpio? No, he's already been used. Ugh, I can't think of any!" she huffed and let out a loud groan in frustration.

He smirked, raising an eyebrow at the annoyed celestial mage. "Are you giving up already, Lucy?"

She rolled her eyes at him, crossing her arms defiantly. "I'm merely giving _you_ a chance, ice mage."

"Well I know something that starts with 'S'."

"Oh yeah? Alright, prove it. I don't believe that you can think of one if I can't!"

He sidled up to her confidently, grabbing her around the waist. Deepening his voice, he murmured, "S for starting now, you're my girlfriend."

Her cheeks flushed immediately, both from excitement and shyness. She turned to look at him with a challenging gaze. "That doesn't count, that's not a constellation."

"Yes, it is. Because you're my star, my constellation, my sun, my moon. It doesn't matter what you are, you're mine."

**Author's Note:**

> My inspiration for this one-shot was from blisters that I had gotten from my favourite pair of sneakers that I hadn't worn for a long time (thanks to COVID, and lockdowns). Now, if only my blisters led to such a romantic confession! :p
> 
> Well, I hope you enjoyed this fic! Do leave a kudos/comment if you did :)
> 
> x, WinterMaidenMuse


End file.
